Inspector Sainz caught examining rivals’ cars in Vegas parc fermé

Carlos Sainz wrapped up a strong Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend with an unexpected bonus activity: a discreet, self-appointed post-race inspection tour of his rivals’ machinery.

Forget CSI – this was CS55, roaming parc fermé with the calm confidence of a man checking whether the neighbor’s new barbecue is actually better than his.

Fresh footage released by Formula 1’s social channels showed the Williams driver weaving between parked cars with purpose, pausing to eyeball front wings, poke around nose cones and, in the case of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, prompting mechanics to shuffle politely aside like bouncers reluctantly letting a VIP through.

Sainz the Sleuth

The untelevised clips reveal Sainz making his rounds immediately after securing a highly respectable fifth place – upgraded from his on-track P7 after both McLarens were disqualified for excessive plank wear.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari barely had time to exhale as the seven-time champion climbed out before Sainz leaned in for a closer look. Moments later, Verstappen’s title-leading RB21 got the same treatment, parked proudly against the P1 board as Sainz examined its front end with studious focus.

Even Lando Norris’s empty McLaren – freshly vacated and glowing under the Las Vegas lights – wasn’t spared. And for good measure, T-cam shots from a Racing Bulls car showed him taking a good look at Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari too.

If there was a front wing within 20 metres, Sainz evaluated it.

Was he just curious? Benchmarking? Filing mental notes for Qatar and Abu Dhabi? Only Sainz knows – and he wasn’t giving anything away.

A Strong Weekend, Mystery Tour Included

His detective work capped what had already been another standout showing in a surging second half of the season for the Spaniard and Williams.

Sainz started a sparkling third after a chaotic, rain-affected qualifying and ultimately delivered another haul of points for a team now firmly holding P5 in the constructors’ standings.

“I think we need to be happy. It was the maximum that we could do today,” he said, commenting on his initial P7 result.

Despite feeling Williams might have been “a bit conservative around the pit stops,” he stressed the positives.

“Ten seconds ahead of the other midfield cars. We were clearly the fastest of the midfield but the top six cars were just too quick for us,” he added.

“I think the second half of the season, we have tonnes of pace. Obviously, sometimes I make a mistake or the team makes a mistake, sometimes we are simply unlucky, but the important thing is that the pace is there and we are showing it in this second half and are very competitive.”

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With Williams now holding a 31-point cushion over Racing Bulls and on the brink of securing their best finish since 2017, Sainz’s inquisitive tour was perhaps perfectly timed.

After all, if you want to beat the best – you might as well study their homework up close.

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